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Tributes in ink worthy of the checkered flag

Fitchburg High artists add illustrations to Ron Bouchard picture book

By Elizabeth Dobbins, edobbins@sentinelandenterprise.com

Updated:
12/17/2016 08:23:18 AM EST

FAST-LANE ARTISTRY: A drawing of Ron Bouchard, the local race-car driver and auto dealer, by Fitchburg High School junior Greta Jarvi, graces a page of the recently released picture book "From Impossible, " along with illustrations by fellow FHS juniors Logan Miles and Greta Jarvi. SENTINEL & ENTERPRISE / ELIZABETH DOBBINS

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FITCHBURG -- Jim Desrosiers' recently released picture book featuring professional race-car driver Ron Bouchard is about following your dreams and, through the book's development, three high school students got a taste of just what pursuing those dreams would mean.

"Ron inspired and motivated me," Desrosiers said. "I saw my opportunity to do the same thing."

Fitchburg High School juniors Katrina French, Logan Miles and Greta Jarvi spent several months working with Desrosiers and the book's illustrator, Amanda Erb, to develop illustrations featured in the picture book "From Impossible" that was released earlier this month.

The book describes the author's real-life relationship with his childhood role model Ron Bouchard, a 1980's NASCAR driver and owner of several local car dealerships who died at age 67 last year.

French's own dream is to one day become a professional illustrator, and she hopes to attend Maine College of Art after graduation. Though she is not deterred, she said she was surprised by the amount of organization and coordination that went into the illustration project.

"I realized it was much more difficult than authors and artists make it seem," she said.

Desrosiers said he initially contacted high school art teacher Sara Lamey hoping to walk several high school students through the process of making picture books and give students the opportunity to speak with a professional illustrator.

"Being exposed to the whole process and seeing Jim's work ... was valuable for the kids," Lamey said.

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The idea to have the students contribute to the book came later, Desrosiers said.

Lamey said the project taught the students professionalism, which they need if they pursue a career in the arts.

"You commit to it," Lamey said. "You finish it by the deadline."

French said it was a challenge to communicate and complete her illustration of the car Bouchard first raced in by the June deadline.

"It was kind of stressful toward the end figuring out how to communicate with each other," she said.

Jarvi drew a portrait of Bouchard for the book. Miles drew three cars that Bouchard used in his races.

"It's a significant part of who Ron Bouchard was," Miles said.

While his "plan A" is to become an actor, Miles said he is also interested in graphic design and would like to be a game designer or animator.

The book is available for sale at Johnny Appleseed Visitor's Center, Creative Connections in Ashburnham and at the author's website GROWTHco.com.

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